It’s going to be another exciting summer for theme parks here in Orlando! Earlier this month, Visit Orlando announced a record-setting 72 million visitors to Orlando, who came to see all of the new attractions and events. Here’s an inside look at new happenings this summer:
Walt Disney World
Toy Story Land opens June 30th, 2018 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Check out our blog post for more details on the new land!
Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will be open for select nights for H2O Glow Nights, inviting guests to join the Toy Story crew for an electric glow party celebration with character meet and greets and exclusive dining offerings. Get your tickets for this special nighttime event by calling (407) 939-1872.
Universal Studios
The world of underground racing made its debut at Universal Studios earlier this month with the opening of Fast & Furious – Supercharged. Guests tour through the Fast & Furious headquarters, past vehicles, and artifacts that were used in the films, before ending up in a high-speed race themselves.
A long-awaited new nighttime show is set to premiere this summer to replace Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular. While very little has been revealed about the show, it will feature animated characters, a new storyline, lighting, and special effects.
Sea World
Sea World Orlando is home to both exciting thrill rides as well as educational experiences. This summer, the all-new family attraction Infinity Falls seeks to combine both experiences with the world’s tallest drop on a river raft ride while spreading the message of conservation and connection to the world’s rivers.
Over at Aquatica, SeaWorld’s water park, Ray Rush opened in mid-May to excited reviews. This 60-foot tall family raft ride promises multiple ways to slide, splash and soar like never before.
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Until the next blog post, we hope you have a Magical day!SeaWorld Electric Ocean is a new summer event running from June 17 through August 5, 2017. This event is included in regular park admission and features spectacular shows, fireworks, live entertainment, and glowing sea creatures.
Let the rhythm take you away with a DJ and live performers inspired by sea creatures at Club Sea Glow. All ages will enjoy dancing the night away. Be sure to see POP, a unique show that brings you world-renowned bubble masters, lights, lasers, music and bubbles perfect for the whole family!
Shamu’s Celebration: Light up the Night, is a crowd favorite incorporating Shamu, music, and production elements. Head over to Sea Lions Tonite to see your favorite sea lions in a night-time parody of SeaWorld’s best shows and attractions.
End the night with Ignite, a firework display that is sure to WOW! The bright colors of the sea will fall down around in this nighttime show.
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Until the next blog post, have a magical day!The holiday season is here and there are a lot of activities happening in Orlando. For the months of November through December, Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, and SeaWorld are offering tons of Christmas fun!
The Universal Orlando Theme Parks are featuring The Macy’s Holiday Parade, holiday shows for all ages, The Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular, and even a New Year’s Eve Party at Universal CityWalk. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take your breath away with fun balloons and floats just like the parade in New York City. You can also feel the spirit of Christmas with music and festivities of Grinchmas featuring a live retelling of Dr. Seuss’s classic holiday tale.
From the dates of November 7 through December 22, 2016, Walt Disney World has a special ticketed event, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. It is filled with holiday joy as Mickey and friends celebrate the season for guests of all ages. There are many celebrations happening such as Mickey’s Merriest Celebration, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, and the most popular Holiday Wishes Dessert Party. The Holiday Wishes Dessert Party allows guests to have an exclusive view of the Wishes Fireworks with many dessert options to choose from. You do not want to miss this celebration and the beautiful Christmas lights decorating the Castle!
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Until the next blog post, Happy Holidays!SeaWorld Orlando will be introducing new attractions over the next year. This $175 million project will include a remodeled Dolphin Nursery, New Orca Encounter, virtual-reality roller coaster, and a new Food and Wine-style festival. These expansions are expected to bring more tourists to the Orlando area.
The new Dolphin Nursery will allow guests to see the animals underneath the water’s surface and will feature digital displays to teach guests about dolphin behavior and biology and also educate guests on conservation efforts. Another exciting project coming soon is the reimagining of the Orca Theater. The Orca Experience offers a natural world for the animals and will be an educational ground for visitors. SeaWorld’s first virtual-reality roller coaster will also be hitting the parks sometime in 2017. Kraken will be retrofitted with headsets and possible 3D images. It will give the guest the experience of going on a deep-sea mission alongside the fictional Kraken and other animals. The expansion will also provide guests the Seven Seas Festival, a food and music extravaganza in 2017. An amazing nighttime show will start in the summer of 2017. The show, Electric Ocean, will include music, live performances, bioluminescent lighting, fountains, and last but not least fireworks!
Don’t forget all the other fun that SeaWorld has to offer! The parks have amazing restaurants such as SeaFire Grill and Sharks Underwater Grill and cultural events like Viva la Musica, a Hispanic festival with live concerts providing families the chance to enjoy Latin culture. Newer family favorite exhibits include Antartica: Empire of the Penguin, Shark Encounter, TurtleTrek, and much more. SeaWorld is always focusing on the animal’s health and care while educating guests on the natural world.
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Until the next blog post, have a magical day!September and October are great months to visit Orlando. There are plenty of fun holiday events to choose from ranging from family-friendly to downright terrifying. Dress up as your favorite character and trick or treat through the theme parks this fall!
If you’re looking for a family-friendly event, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is the perfect option for you running select nights from September 2 through October 31. The kids will love seeing special character appearances from Jack Skellington and Sally, Alice, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts, Cruella De Vil, and many more rarely seen characters! There won’t be a dull moment all evening with villainous entertainment to choose from. The Boo-to-You Halloween Parade is a highlight every year with the Headless Horseman kicking off the festivities, Haunted Mansion dancing characters, and frightening floats to thrill you!
SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular is another fantastic family-friendly Halloween event that runs from October 1 through the 30. Little ones can spend the day trick or treat throughout the park, be fully immersed in a sea of fun, create fun arts and crafts together, and experience animal encounters all while having access to the full park. Special Halloween shows and dining options are available including Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween, a Meet and Greet with Cookie Monster or Dine with Shamu for brunch.
Horror lovers will die for Halloween Horror Nights. Scream through six different haunted houses including Texas Chainsaw Massacre, American Horror Story, Halloween, Krampus and more! Wander through scare zones around the park, experience live shows and ride the best attractions Universal Studios Orlando has to offer. This horrifying special event runs from September 16 through October 31. Be warned, this special event may be too intense for young children and is not meant for guests under the age of 13.
If you’re looking for another special event option geared to frighten, Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream is a great alternative. Experience a truly horrifying experience with seven different haunted houses to choose from. Walkthrough scare-zones and escape the roaming hordes. You can also be entertained by scary shows and ride the best of roller coasters in the evening! This event runs on select nights from September 23 through October 30.
Plan a fall getaway to the theme park capital and visit the Halloween special events throughout the parks. Our reservations team is here to assist you in finding the vacation home of your dreams for your upcoming getaway! One of our newest luxury villas has availability through September and October and would be perfect for your family.
Until the next blog post, happy haunting and have a magical day!
Orlando has more to offer than theme parks! While vacationing in the theme park capital of the world, be sure to visit any of the awesome water parks in the area.
Disney World offers two of the best water parks in Orlando, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Both parks are unique and offer guests a completely different experience.
Blizzard Beach was once a ski resort that has melted into a water park wonderland. Spend the day racing down the slalom courses or enjoy riding a raft together down Teamboat Springs. Blizzard Beach is an ideal location for a day of family fun. The little ones can enjoy Tike’s Peak or Ski Patrol Training Camp featuring water fun for any height. The brave of heart can ride the chairlift up to Slush Gusher or Summit Plummet.
Typhoon Lagoon is the result of a furious storm that swept Miss Tilly on top of Mount Mayday, flinging surfboards and boats throughout the park. Enjoy the island life all day in Castaway Creek or catch a big wave in the Surf Pool. Typhoon Lagoon provides guest with a truly unique experience at Shark Reef, where you snorkel alongside stingrays and sharks.
Universal Studio’s currently offers Wet n Wild; however, this park will be closing at the end of December 2016. Wet n Wild offers super thrills and family fun. For big thrills, guests can choose between Aqua Drag Racer and The Storm. If you’re looking for attractions you can experience as a family, head to BlastAway Beach or Surf Lagoon.
Universal Studios will be opening Volcano Bay in 2017. This water park will be an entirely immersive experience centered around big thrills and the relaxing island lifestyle. The focal point of this water park will be the life-size volcano complete with a high-speed drop slide.
SeaWorld features Aquatica, a one of a kind water park merging animal encounters with a variety of water experiences ranging from thrilling water slides to relaxing rivers. Slide down Dolphin Plunge with the Commerson’s dolphins. Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is the tallest multi-drop tower in Orlando. Relax in Walkabout Waters or float along in Roa’s Rapids.
You can’t go wrong choosing any of these amazing water parks. Your family is bound to have the vacation of a lifetime in sunny Orlando this summer.
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Until the next blog post, have a magical day!
The newest hypercoaster, Mako, will be making waves this 2016. Mako is SeaWorld Orlando’s latest roller coaster and will be the tallest, fastest and longest coaster in Orlando. The coaster themed after the ocean’s fastest shark will reach speeds as high as 73 mph, has a drop of 200 feet and will have 4,760 feet of track. Dive through a shipwreck while simulating the Mako’s ability to make quick turns and extreme jumps.